Aerospace & Defense Technology - December 2024 - 32

Tech Briefs
broadly across the industry to determine
which actions can be implemented
to strengthen the overall
integr ity of the aviation supply
chain, " Sumwalt said.
Together, he added, the industry can
mitigate current risk and anticipate
future challenges, ensuring the continued
safety and trust of the global aviation
community.
This article was written by Sarah
Barczyk, Vice President, Communications,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
For more information, contact
Sarah.Barczyks@erau.edu.
DEVCOM CBC Innovates and Integrates through
Autonomous Technologies
Researchers and engineers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical
Biological Center have developed a prototype system for decontaminating military combat vehicles.
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
T
he U.S. Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command Chemical
Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) is
paving the way and helping the Army
transform into a multi-domain force
through its modernization and priority
research efforts that are linked to the
National Defense Strategy and nation's
goals. CBC continues to lead in the
development of innovative defense
technology, including autonomous
chem-bio defense solutions designed to
enhance accuracy and safety to the
warfighter.
Protecting the Warfighter
Having successfully developed new
versions of military assets, including a
biological sensor integration project for
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in
2018, DEVCOM CBC has become a reputable
leader for the Army's large-scale
technology integration efforts. The
addition of sensors and in-house engineering
innovations applied to the
UAV allowed rapid detection of airborne
biological threats through
remote operations and real-time communication
between the payload and
drone operator.
The addition of autonomous capabilities
paired with other advanced technologies
also improves warfighters' decision-making
capabilities. " Broadly, we're
in a digital world now, " said Patrick Riley,
a Research Chemist and Machine Learning
Advisor to the sensors program at
DEVCOM CBC. " Information is constantly
being generated. The integration of AI/
ML compiles the most pertinent informa32
tion
to warfighters faster, " he noted. " Warfighters
are still making decisions, but this
capability allows them to make them
more quickly without having to filter
through every aspect of information. "
Technology leaders such as
DEVCOM CBC play a key role in providing
the tools that allow troops to
readily adapt based on the conditions
and threats in specific domains at any
given time. " The application of AI/ML
supports a lot of projects we do, with
the number one goal of protecting
warfighters and reducing exposure to
hazards, " said Riley.
Pairing AI/ML with technology that
has already been developed and tested at
CBC can further reduce hazardous
chemical and biological exposures to
the warfighter while improving decision-making
and readiness. The Center
is using advanced tools like sensors and
data-driven algorithms to create detailed
maps and develop a greater understanding
of the environment to which various
technologies can be applied. These
useful tools are being incorporated into
advanced technologies like robots,
drones, bio-printing, and high-tech
manufacturing and adhere to responsible
AI ethics principles.
Reducing Warfighter Burden
In a prototype of the Autonomous
Equipment Decontamination (AED)
System, DEVCOM CBC demonstrated
the future of decontamination technology.
The concept of the AED System
combines unmanned systems, AI/
ML, and autonomous behaviors to
mobilityengineeringtech.com
identify, map, and decontaminate military
combat vehicles on the battlefield.
The Center has spearheaded the
project, combining its specialization
in the development and advancement
of robotics, AI/ML, and sensors along
with industry partners to provide
advanced solutions for the Army's
missions.
The system reduces the burden for
warfighters and enhances mission readiness
on the field by using robotic platforms,
autonomous behaviors, and
other advanced technologies to reduce
the time, logistics, and personnel
required to conduct decontamination
operations. It includes remotely operated
robotic systems configured with sensors
to identify and map chemical and
biological contamination and precisely
apply an advanced decontamination
solution to only the contaminated areas
of a military vehicle.
Supporting Multi-Domain Operations
All of this is helping the Army move
into a new era of chem-bio defense for
multi-domain operations (MDO) and
the Center has recently unveiled several
innovative capabilities in support of this
transformative effort.
The MDO approach is pushing the
defense sector to think critically about
new ways to apply tools and technology
to work in specific situations, while also
enabling systems to switch between different
functions and environments
smoothly. The need for military assets to
be versatile is becoming increasingly
important as the battle domain quickly
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